LATIN AMERICA IN FOCUS

Questions Raised over Proportionality of Pixbet’s License Suspension

Brazilian lawyer Fabio Ferreira Kujawski has described the decision of the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) to suspend Pixbet’s license as “disproportionate,” arguing it reflects a lack of understanding of the industry.

Earlier this month, the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets suspended the online gambling license of Pixbet after the company was accused of failing to deliver full documentation relating to certifications. Three other companies were also suspended.

Though Pixbet has since had its license reinstated, Mattos Filho Partner Kujawski claims the SPA’s initial suspension was too harsh, fearing it could be evidence of the regulator showing a “certain lack of dialogue and understanding.”

Kujawski told iGB: “In our view, the suspension of the authorization was a disproportionate response to the infraction committed. A suspension of authorization should only occur in extremely serious cases of repeated violations of Brazilian law.”

Betsson CEO: Brazil and Paraguay Launches Will Drive LatAm Growth

Pontus Lindwall, CEO of Betsson AB, said the recent launches in Brazil and Paraguay will help maintain the company’s momentum in Latin America, where Q1 revenue surged by 70.3 percent.

The LatAm region was responsible for 25 percent of Betsson’s total revenue in Q1, and on the post-results call, Lindwall told analysts the operator had received a local online casino license for Paraguay at the end of 2024, subsequently carrying out a technical launch in February of this year.

Alongside Paraguay, Betsson also obtained a full license for the newly regulated Brazilian market in February before launching its offering there in April, and Lindwall is confident the company can continue its strong work in LatAm.

“Given that we have really good traction in other markets in the region, we believe that we will be successful over time,” Lindwall said. “Obviously, they give us a good possibility for the future to keep on growing in the LatAm region.”

Land-Based Casinos Bill Rapporteur Reiterates Current Ban Isn’t Effective

Senator Irajá Abreu, rapporteur of the bill to legalize land-based gambling in Brazil, told the Senate Plenary April 29 the current ban on the activity is ineffective.

While online gambling is now legal, its land-based alternative is still yet to be approved, despite the Justice and Citizenship Committee voting in June last year to legalize brick-and-mortar gambling.

However, last week a DataSenado survey stated 60 percent of the Brazilian adult population were in favor of legalizing land-based gambling, while just 25 percent of those surveyed believed the current ban was very effective in restricting the activity.

Irajá believes legalization is necessary, saying regulation is “guaranteeing supervision and protection for our society, and Brazilians support exactly that.”

Betting Contributes COP2.4 billion to Colombian Health System Last Two Years

Marco Emilio Hincapié, president of the Colombian gambling regulator Coljuegos, has reported the nation’s betting sector has contributed COP2.4 billion ($568,631) to the health system in the last two years.

The figure represents 33 percent of the total resources generated by the Colombian gambling sector since 2012, with the nation’s industry driven by online betting growth.

Hincapié praised the efforts of the nation’s gambling sector, saying: “Never before has the gambling sector performed so positively. This is largely due to the efforts of the National Government in regulating the industry, controlling illegality, and modernizing technology.”

Multi-State Lotteries in Brazil Likely Three Years Away, Says Paraná Chief

Daniel Romanowski, CEO of the Paraná State Lottery (Lottopar), expects Brazil could launch multi-state lotteries in the next two to three years.

Under existing laws, Brazilian state lotteries are barred from joining forces on projects like EuroMillions, which combines multiple jurisdictions to offer larger jackpots.

However, Romanowski believes Lottopar and other state lotteries could take the issue to Federal Court, asserting states are entitled to partner in order to grow their gaming offerings.

“The federal [government] cannot say what the states can do,” Romanowski told iGB. “Basically, they regulate the federal, we regulate the states. We have our own houses of law here, so I believe we can associate in the near future, in like two or three years.”